News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-07-14
A REFORMED BANDIT.
Frank James Says that He Always
Avoided a Fight and Never Drank
Fircwatcr.

A gentleman reports the result OF an
interview with Frank james, who is now
living in Dallas, Texas. where he is en-
ployed as salesman i'll wholesale cloth
INC store. He is visited daily by large
crowds of people from all parts of the
country. to all of whom he extends a
cordial greeting. To the gentleman
who called on him he said:
eyes, l am living quietly enough
here, and [ think the balance of my life
will be passed peacefully. L have never
carried weapon since surrendered my
revolvers to Gov. Crittenden in Missouri.
/ do not carry any arms, because l do
not want to have any trouble with any
one. [ do not think anybody wants to
kill me, unless it might be some crank
who wanted notoriety, and gun would
be no protection against such man, for
he would shoot me in the back, or at
some time when | was not expecting it. "
When asked if he was a good shot,
Frank replied:
'FNo, l am nothing extra, but there
was time when [ thought that no man
on earth could draw gun quicker than
I could. 1 praetised it for twenty years,
and always felt safe while talking with
man who had not already drawn his
weapon. ] knew that whenever he
made motion l could kill him before
he could draw"
"What kind of a gun do you prefer e.
"Well, l always use II Remington A.
The same cartridge used in asix-shooter
fits a Winchester AZ rifle, SO there is no
danger of man getting ratified in
fight and putting the wrong cartridge
in his gun. 1t is a bad plan to carry
two kinds of ammunition when you have
to use it in hurry sometimes.
sDo you meet any people here whom
YOU have known before 2"
"No. Inject great many who claim
to know me, but the fact is Ireally knew
very few people anywhere, and fewer
still knew me. The reason L was never
captured was because l never made
confdant of any one, and l never placed
perfect confidence in any human being.
There was q time when no man on earth
could have killed me without fight. L
pever let those who were with me handle
my guns, and if any one asked to look
at my pistols always took out the cyl
Under before handing it to him.
"Did you know many of the noted
men who have figured in the West2"
"Iknow them by reputation, but never
met any of them. [ always made it a
point to keep away from bad men.
These killers are always seeking quar-
rels, and | tried to avoid them rs much
as possible. always hated to kill any
body, and never did unless 1 had to.
No reasonable man wants to take the
life of another if he can help it. l al
ways tried to keep away from the West
ern country, where all the detectives
supposed me to be. stayed east of the
Mississippi River most of the time, and
always among quiet people who carried
prayer books in their pockets instead of
six-shootcrs. found it much safer"
"Do you ever drink Was asked by
the visitor, who wanted to set 'em up,
but got temperance lecture in reply.
~ never touch liquor. This is one
reason why I was never caught; nothing
could induce me to take drop, so 1 al
ways carried cool head. Some men
need two or three drinks to give them
courage enough to fight, but as for my
self [ always want to go into fight with
a clear head. l see better, shoot quicker,
fight har5lcr, md f5rotcct myself better.
No, sir, I thank you, no whiskcy for
me.